I would like to extend a huge thank you to joshs_left_earlobe for looking over this chapter and editing it and to loving_mellark for creating the banner. I would also like to thank everyone who liked, commented and read this story. I apologize for the nearly 12 months delay in posting the next part. Real life has been busy for me, and I've been battling sinus inflections on and off the past several months.
Please note, that the perspective of this chapter changes from Peeta and Katniss a few times.
Six Years Later…
Peeta
Enough! Peeta thinks bitterly as he stands by his bedchamber window looking at his future kingdom, watching as the sunset slowly washes over the land. He loves Panem, and he feels a strong sense of duty for his people, but sometimes it's too much.
Now that he is nearly of age, his parents—or more specifically his mother—insists that Peeta gets married soon. His frustration has reached the boiling point. While he understands that uniting Panem with another kingdom would provide further protection and prosperity for his people, he does not want to marry someone he does not love. He does not want the likely possibility of ending up like his parents, married for duty and convenience and extremely unhappy.
Only hours earlier, his mother had been scolding him on her expectation for him to marry a princess. While Peeta was not surprised by her actions, considering his fractured relationship with her, he had hoped his father, with whom he had a closer relationship, would take his side or at least defend him. Instead, the king remained quiet, only making a few incidental remarks. He would have felt more disappointed by his father's passivity, but he has become used to his father not speaking up on his behalf. Better to disappoint his son than anger his wife, perhaps.
He ponders his predicament, and as he watches the knights training in the courtyard below, he's struck with an idea. It's reckless and quite immature, but he feels like he has no choice. He's reached the end of his tether, and if he doesn't act now, he's afraid he'll end up doing something he might regret.
Looking at his fob watch, he checks the time. Perfect, he thinks as he goes over his parents' routines in his head and realises there is a window of opportunity to put his plan to work. But before he can prepare everything he needs, he must talk to his best friend. Going over to the mirror beside his desk, Peeta does a once over of his appearance - most specifically his hair. He has the tendency to run his hand through his blonde curls when he's nervous or frustrated. Having decided he looks presentable and not too angry, he leaves his bedchamber to put his plan into action.
Katniss
"Katniss, come here NOW!" Katniss hears her stepmother's loud, shrill voice penetrate through to the kitchen.
Sae, the cook, shakes her head in disdain before locking eyes with her. "You better go Katniss dear, before the mistress really blows her head."
She hesitates, however, as she watches her 16-year-old sister trying to help Sae prepare the pheasant for dinner. The usually simple process is made difficult by her sister's persistent cough.
"I'll take care of Prim. Don't you worry," Sae reassures Katniss, as if reading her thoughts. Katniss offers Sae a grateful smile, which immediately turns to a scowl when they all hear their mistress shriek again for her. Hurriedly, Katniss dashes out of the kitchen, rushing to the parlour to see what her stepmother wants.
As she does so, Katniss can't help but picture the day when her ridiculously dressed, middle-aged, evil stepmother dies.
Moments later, a very angry Katniss reappears in the kitchen.
Worried, Prim walks over to her sister. "What is it, Katniss?"
Thoroughly exasperated, Katniss takes her sister's hand, twining her fingers between Prim's and informs her, "Stepmother has taken our bedchamber because she's decided to turn it into a wardrobe for Glimmer." Their room is not really a bedchamber, as it is actually the attic. Not only that, but it is also the only remaining room in their home.
"Bu-bu-but wh-where a-a-are we to sleep?" Prim asks shakily, distress evident in her face. Katniss hates seeing her sister in such a state of uneasiness, but what she despises the most is her inability to take care of her sister and change their situation.
Wrapping her arms around Prim, she gives a kiss to her forehead before sadly telling her that they are to sleep in one of the stables. And although feelings of rage and frustration fill her heart with such hatred for their stepmother, she keeps it from showing on her face. Prim is worried enough, she does not need to see how downtrodden her sister feels.
"That woman is truly evil," Sae points out, and Katniss lifts her head from her sister's hair to meet the cook's thunderous gaze.
"We can't sleep in the stables," Prim points out. "We'll freeze to the bone during these last weeks of winter."
At a loss for words that would provide comfort to Prim, Katniss sighs in gratitude when their caring and ever-reliable Sae offers them some old pillows and blankets from her own house. While Sae does not get paid much by Lady Coin for her services and lives meagerly, her eldest son recently moved out, having married the blacksmith's daughter. Sae was going to give the pillows and blankets to the church for the poor, but said that we have a greater need for them.
"See, Sae has offered us some pillows and blankets, little duck!" Katniss rubs reassuring circles on her sister's back, hoping to sound more optimistic. "Along with the bedding we already have and the fireplace in the stables, I'm sure we can work it out." Katniss wraps Prim into her embrace, praying that she was convincing enough for her sister to believe she will always protect her.
Katniss hears—or rather feels—the slowing of her sister's breath and hopes that for the moment her comfort has worked. But now that her sister is somewhat calm, Katniss focuses her attention on creating a clean place for Prim in their new living quarters, as the stables are not favorable for improving her health.
During the past years, Prim has struggled with hard labour and reduction of her usual diet. She's been fighting illness constantly. She's become so thin that Sae has taken in her clothing, and it still hangs loosely. At one point Katniss had been so desperate to feed her sister that she tried to take leftover bread from the local bakery, but due to the rain, the bread was too soiled, and she was at a loss of what to do.
It was at that moment when she saw a boy of the same age looking in her direction. He nodded toward the bread in his bag and then tossed a few loaves at her feet.
It was this small act of kindness from the unknown boy with bright blue eyes and golden hair that finally gave her the strength to ignore her stepmother's orders and to start hunting in the forest next to their home.
In the beginning, Katniss did not fare well and caught very little. That was until she met a boy, a few years older than herself, in the woods. His name was Gale, and he lived in one of the poorest parts of the village. His father had died around the same time as her father (killed by the very same sickness), leaving him, his mother, three brothers, and one sister near destitution. Luckily, Gale's father had taught him how to hunt animals and gather edible plants. Though hunting in the forest was not illegal, it was certainly very much frowned upon, so he had taken a great risk in venturing there.
At first, both of them had been very hesitant of each other, but soon they bonded over their similar situations and the need to provide for their families. Gale agreed to take the younger girl under his wing. Katniss was a quick learner and in no time she could hunt and set up traps and snares. She was finally able to provide more food for both herself and Prim.
But still it is not enough, Katniss thinks dejectedly as she makes up a plate of food for their dinner. Their stepmother and stepsisters had already eaten their meals, leaving whatever was left for Katniss and Prim. It was not much—as always—but Katniss knows that she is meeting Gale tomorrow. Winter proved difficult for them, but now that it is warming up, she expects to find more animals and food around.
After eating their small dinner, Katniss and Prim are told to move their meager belongings to the stable before finishing their night-time chores. It's near midnight by the time they have finished. Huddled together, wrapped in a blanket, with Katniss carrying a small candle, they make their way to the stables for bed.
A few days later…
Peeta
"Ouch!" Peeta exclaims as he moves into a sitting position. He rubs the sore spot on his back, hoping to relieve some of the discomfort. Sleeping on the forest floor was certainly not as comfortable than his usual bed. But desperate times call for desperate measures, and Peeta was definitely desperate.
Running away from his parents and the castle was certainly immature and somewhat crazy, but he could not handle spending one more moment with his mother. Enough was enough, so with the help of his most trusted friend, Finnick, he managed to set up a diversion to gather supplies and leave.
Now he finds himself in a District Twelve forest just next to the late Lord of the Seam's estate, which is now owned by the Lord's widow, Lady Coin. Peeta has never met Lady Coin, which he considers fortunate, as he plans to cross their estate to the local village to try and secure a job. But first, he needs to change.
He looks over to where he left his supplies and gasps when he notices that his horse, Duke, is not tied to the oak tree like he should be. He swears loudly, rushing to get up, tripping over his blanket, and getting a little tangled, but after a few seconds, he manages to stand. He runs as fast as his legs can go in the direction of his horse's tread marks.
What feels like hours to Peeta, is but thirty minutes later. After stopping for a quick breath, Peeta tries to pick up his pace, calling out for Duke, until he suddenly feels something catch his foot. Before he can work out what is happening and prevent it, he feels a sharp pain below as he crashes to the ground.
Looking down, he sees that his right foot is caught in a snare, and the metal is already cutting deep into his sock. Blood is forming at the sight and beginning to seep through the fabric. At a loss for what to do, he does the only thing he can do.
He shouts for help.
Katniss
It's early morning, and Katniss is ready for her hunting session with Gale. She's in a plain pair of dark trousers, a white tunic, and one of her most prized possessions—her father's leather jacket. She nearly lost it to her stepmother, but Katniss managed to steal from her father's wardrobe before she got rid of his things. Knowing her stepmother would demand she return the well-made jacket if she saw it, Katniss only wears it when she goes hunting.
Draped over her left shoulder is another one of her most precious items—her father's bow and quiver. She smiles as she remembers the first time her father took her out to the forest. She was only nine years old, but she still recalls how the bow and arrow seemed to be an extension of his arm as he shot a rabbit a hundred feet in front of them directly in the eye. Katniss was completely enthralled and demanded her father teach her how to shoot.
Sitting on a large log set against a huge tree—her and Gale's designated meeting place—she waits for her hunting partner. Minutes pass, and Katniss worries about Gale's delay. She knows that winter has been as tough for the Hawthornes as it has been for her family. So she is a little shocked that he has not arrived as planned, as he is usually there before she is.
"HELP!"
Katniss jolts around toward the unexpected shouting. Terrified that something might have happened to Gale while checking one of their snares, she stands up, bow ready in her hand as she rushes in the direction of the trap.
Not a minute has passed by the time Katniss discovers the source of the noise. She hesitates at first, surprised that it's not Gale. Rather, it is a stranger trapped in their snare before her. A young man, with golden, curly hair, and bright, blue eyes, is squirming and struggling to free his foot. She knows she should help him, but she is frozen in her spot. Her eyes are too busy peering at the young man who somehow looks familiar to her somehow. She's distracted by his God-like, golden-brown skin and his full pink, pouty mouth that seems to be begging to be kissed.
Lips that should be kissed by her.
What! Katniss thinks, surprised and a little shocked by her desire. Katniss is not one to have much interest in the opposite sex, her miserable life with her stepmother not giving her much time for such things. Yet, she can't get enough of this young man's strong jaw dusted with dark blonde stubble that further accentuates the sturdiness of his face...
"Excuse me," Katniss hears his booming, breathy, yet husky voice and jumps as she realises the man is looking directly at her and grimacing in pain.
Quickly gathering her composure at being caught admiring the man for too long, she puts her bow back over her shoulder and strides over to him.
"You seem to have gotten yourself in a pickle," she tells him before getting down to her knees to examine his foot in the snare.
"Of course I have," he responds roughly before letting out a sarcastic laugh. A few seconds pass, and his annoyed expression changes to regret.
"Look, I'm sor—" He begins to apologise, but it's too late.
"I'm not the one who was walking carelessly and ended up being caught in a snare!" Katniss scolds, anger flaring within her. She's only trying to help, despite the stupidity of this man getting himself in this predicament in the first place.
Refusing to look at him again, she concentrates on checking to see the damage the trap has done to his foot. There's quite a bit of blood already drenching his sock. She thinks it wise to ask him if she can touch the inflicted area to see how badly he's injured before removing his foot from the snare. As she rises on her feet to address him, she spots the familiar royal seal of the Kingdom of Panem on his dark cloak. Realisation dawns on her as to who this man is, and she cringes as she remembers how harshly she spoke to him.
Oh crap!
"Oh! I'm so sorry, Your Highness!" Katniss apologises, before curtseying low to Prince Peeta of Panem.
To be continued...
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